Selecting a bat

Selecting the right bat for your ballplayer can be a complicated process and listen, we get it, kids want the cool stuff their friends have, right? As parents, how many times have we heard “but Johnny has a 30inch drop 8”, “Billy has a composite BoneSaber Warstic!”, “Sally just got an Easton Ghost with a vulcan skin grip”. With Spring Training right around the corner (and Christmas!) it’s a good time to have the discussion. But first, here’s a question for you: ok Mom/Dad, you’re sending your kid into the dark basement to fight the flesh-eating Zombies, what are you going to hand him? A 4-foot long broom handle or a 30-foot telephone pole? Hopefully, by the time you’ve finished reading this, you’ll conclude that bigger isn’t always better.

Over the last couple of years we’ve all observed our players struggle with hitting, whether it’s consistent contact, driving the ball, or hitting for power. The common denominator is typically the bat – the length and weight are too much for the player to handle. In short, they are not getting results because they are trying to drag a tree trunk through the hitting zone, which can lead to a variety of other bad swing habits: feet all over the batter’s box, lunging at the ball, head sliding back and forth, hands out too far (casting) as the bat is swinging the player versus the other way around, etc. I think we can all agree that hitting a baseball or softball is hard enough; trying to hit a ball with a bat that does not “fit” you is even harder.

At the youth level, big bats DO NOT generate big hits…BAT SPEED generates big hits! Why is bat speed important? Well, simply put, the harder the ball is hit the less time the defense has to react and make a play. Additionally, higher “exit velocities” leads to farther hit balls. Obviously, there are other factors associated with hitting a pitched ball (hand-eye coordination, mass of bat, pitch speed, smash factor, etc) but neither matters if your child has a bat that is too long and too heavy. So here are some general “fitting” guidelines and/or principles:

Fitting Charts: Most websites or retail sports stores use the players height and weight as a method to fit you into a bat. While it may be a good place to start, it should not be the sole metric to consider.

Length: Stand the bat barrel on the ground next to your player’s leg. When upright, the knob of the bat should reach the center of their palm. Or place the knob of the bat on the child’s sternum and place the rest of the bat along their outstretched arm. They should be able to curl their fingers around the barrel of the bat and touch the top center of the cap. If they can’t, the bat’s probably too long.

Weight: Have your child hold the bat handle and extend their arm shoulder-length away from their side. If they cannot hold the bat parallel to the ground for 45-60 seconds, then the bat is too heavy for them.

Drop: The term “drop” means the difference between bat length (inches) and weight (ounces), often described as “-10” or “drop 10”. A higher drop number means a lighter bat. Regardless of what length you ultimately decide on, look for a high drop number.

Moment of Inertia (MOI): We recognize most of our players have yet to take a Physics class and far be it from us to lecture you on mass (m), gravity (g), pivot point (d) and time (t) but, similar to the above points, it’s a super nerdy way to say that bigger, heavier bats are more difficult to swing and control through the hitting zone. We challenge all of you to explain this to your child - “geez Charlie, due to the MOI calculations and weight distribution metrics, the bat you’ve chosen is far too big.” Here’s the formula…good luck!

Bat Handle Grips: Again, super cool for young kids because who doesn’t want a SpongeBob lizard skin grip for their bat handle? That said, by making the handle thicker, it makes the bat more difficult to control, reduces bat speed, and harder to adjust to pitches.

One Piece Bats vs. Two Piece Bats (composite): Not really a discussion for the kids because, let’s face it, they aren’t buying the bat, you are! So, the first point is composite bats are more expensive than aluminum or wood. And although composite bats tend to have more flex (torque) and reduced vibration on miss-hit balls, they also tend to be “end-loaded” which means they have a heavier swing weight towards the end of the bat which increases drag. One piece aluminum bats last longer, provided little Johnny isn’t using it as a hammer or for hitting rocks in the backyard.

Here are a few more important points specific to our PYBS league:

USA certified bats ONLY for baseball.
Diameter cannot exceed 2 5/8ths.
Wooden bats are allowed.
Baseball bats are prohibited for softball players.

We are not advocating for any type, brand, size, or weight of bat because every kid is at a different stage of their own development. Besides being properly fitted for the right equipment, becoming a good hitter is no different than being a good student: it comes from hours and hours of practice and good fundamentals.